From small beginnings in 2004, the Costa Group has officially opened the latest of their state of the art glasshouses in Guyra.
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Located north of Guyra, Glasshouse No. 3 was officially opened on Thursday, by NSW MLC Scot MacDonald, on behalf of the Premier, Mike Baird. It brings the total area under glass in the Guyra area to 30 hectares, spread over two sites.
The latest $60 million development involved construction of 10 hectares of glasshouse and has the capacity to expand to 20 hectares in the future. It is now at operational capacity, with a workforce of 170 people required to grow, harvest and pack more than 210 million snacking tomatoes grown per year.
In officially opening the glasshouse Mr MacDonald noted the importance of Costa’s investment to the economic development of the region and commented that it was an ‘excellent example of business investment in regional New South Wales that will have real and lasting benefit.’
"What Costas have done is not talk about regional development, but deliver regional development," Mr MacDonald said. "The NSW Government through the Department of Industry and Guyra Council have been supportive and provided some assistance, but it is Costas that have developed the business plan; secured finance; taken the risk and gotten on with the job of building a significant, expanding enterprise making a material difference to this town and this region."
Mr MacDonald also said that he is hopeful this won't be the last development, and raised the prospect of a "Glasshouse cluster" around Guyra attracting a range of greenhouse enterprises, commodities, skilled staff and leading technology.
Joining with Mr MacDonald to open the glasshouse, Mr George Haggar, Costa Group’s Chief Operating Officer said that together with Costa’s existing 20 hectares located in Elm Street Guyra, Costa now provides employment for 500 people and generates significant economic activity in the Guyra and New England region.
“I want to thank and acknowledge the New South Wales Government and Guyra Council for their support in helping to make this investment a reality," Mr Haggar said. "I also want to make special mention of our local Costa people and the fact that over the decade or more that we have been operating in Guyra our workforce and key local people have done an outstanding job in establishing Costa as leader in protected cropping and glasshouse horticulture."
